Coach House & Garden Suite Construction in Surrey, BC

Coach Houses and Garden Suites in Surrey

Surrey supports detached accessory dwellings on many lots. The City distinguishes a coach house — located above or attached to a detached garage — from a garden suite, a ground-level detached building separate from the main home. Both are practical ways to add family or rental housing on Surrey's larger lots.

Pro 1 Construction builds these as full, code-compliant homes, planned around the City of Surrey's requirements for size, parking, and servicing.

Quick Answer: coach house vs garden suite in Surrey

A coach house sits above or attached to a detached garage; a garden suite is a ground-level detached building. Surrey sets minimum and maximum sizes for these units (with larger sizes possible in some zones), requires an additional parking space, and may require the unit to be registered as a dwelling unit. A secondary suite is not permitted within a coach house or garden suite. Confirm the figures and rules for your lot with the City of Surrey.

Surrey Requirements to Plan Around

According to the City of Surrey:

• Coach house: A detached accessory dwelling located above or attached to a detached garage.
• Garden suite: A ground-level detached accessory dwelling, separate from the principal home.
• Parking: An additional parking space is required, beyond the parking for the main home and any secondary suite.
• Registration: A coach house or garden suite may be considered a dwelling unit and require registration.
• Secondary suites: A secondary suite is not permitted within a coach house or garden suite.

Surrey sets minimum and maximum unit sizes, with larger sizes possible in certain zones. Confirm the current size figures and your lot's eligibility with the City of Surrey.

Site Access, Servicing, and Larger Lots

Surrey's larger suburban lots often have room and access for a detached suite, but driveway routing, grade, and staging still need planning. A detached suite needs its own services, and on a deep lot the connection points may be a distance from the building site, so review servicing, drainage, and electrical capacity early.

Work With a BC Housing Licensed Residential Builder

A standalone coach house or garden suite may be considered a new home under BC's Homeowner Protection Act, which makes builder licensing and home warranty insurance part of the planning process. Pro 1 Construction is a BC Housing Licensed Residential Builder and carries 2-5-10 home warranty coverage for applicable new-home construction projects, subject to the warranty provider, policy terms, limits, and exclusions.